[p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=Greece%2CSurveillan ce%2CEurope%2CWorld+news] [1]Skip to main content[2]Skip to navigation [3]Print subscriptions [4]Sign in [5]Search jobs [6]Search US edition [ ] * [7]US edition * [8]UK edition * [9]Australia edition * [10]International edition [11]The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian [ ] * [12]News * [13]Opinion * [14]Sport * [15]Culture * [16]Lifestyle ShowMoreShow More * [ ] News + [17]View all News + [18]US news + [19]World news + [20]Environment + [21]Soccer + [22]US politics + [23]Business + [24]Tech + [25]Science + [26]Newsletters + [27]Fight to vote * [ ] Opinion + [28]View all Opinion + [29]The Guardian view + [30]Columnists + [31]Letters + [32]Opinion videos + [33]Cartoons * [ ] Sport + [34]View all Sport + [35]Soccer + [36]NFL + [37]Tennis + [38]MLB + [39]MLS + [40]NBA + [41]NHL + [42]F1 * [ ] Culture + [43]View all Culture + [44]Film + [45]Books + [46]Music + [47]Art & design + [48]TV & radio + [49]Stage + [50]Classical + [51]Games * [ ] Lifestyle + [52]View all Lifestyle + [53]Fashion + [54]Food + [55]Recipes + [56]Love & sex + [57]Home & garden + [58]Health & fitness + [59]Family + [60]Travel + [61]Money * Search input ____________________ google-search Search (BUTTON) * [62]Support us * [63]Print subscriptions [ ] US edition * [64]UK edition * [65]Australia edition * [66]International edition * [67]Europe edition * [68]Search jobs * [69]Digital Archive * [70]Guardian Puzzles app * [71]Guardian content licensing site * [72]The Guardian app * [73]Video * [74]Podcasts * [75]Pictures * [76]Inside the Guardian * [77]Guardian Weekly * [78]Crosswords * [79]Corrections * [80]Facebook * [81]Twitter * [82]Search jobs * [83]Digital Archive * [84]Guardian Puzzles app * [85]Guardian content licensing site * [86]World * [87]Europe * [88]US * [89]Americas * [90]Asia * [91]Australia * [92]Middle East * [93]Africa * [94]Inequality * [95]Global development [96]Greece Greece passes intelligence bill banning the sale of spyware Vote comes as government tries to mitigate impact of a phone-tapping scandal involving Pasok party leader Nikos Androulakis. [ ] Nikos Androulakis, the leader of the socialist Pasok party, claimed the EYP listened to his conversations. Photograph: George Kontarinis/AP Nikos Androulakis, the leader of the socialist Pasok party, claimed the EYP listened to his conversations. Photograph: George Kontarinis/AP Reuters in Athens Fri 9 Dec 2022 14.38 ESTLast modified on Fri 9 Dec 2022 14.48 EST * * * [97]Greece's parliament has passed a bill overhauling the country's intelligence service (EYP) and banning the sale of spyware, as the government tries to mitigate the impact of a phone-tapping scandal still under investigation. The case has turned up the heat on the conservative government, which faces elections in 2023. It emerged in August when Nikos Androulakis, the leader of the socialist Pasok party, Greece's third-largest, claimed the EYP listened to his conversations in 2021. Greek PM under pressure over tapping of opponent's phone Read more A few days earlier, he filed a complaint with prosecutors over an attempted bugging of his mobile phone with surveillance software. The bill criminalises the sale or possession of spyware and makes the private use of spyware a felony from a misdemeanour, punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment. It also sets up an academy of counterintelligence for the training of EYP staff and a unit to investigate cases of breach of duty. Only EYP and the anti-terrorism unit can request a prosecutor's approval to monitor people for a range of crimes specified under the bill and a second prosecutor must sign the request. Politicians can only be monitored for national security reasons, and the parliament's speaker must also approve such requests. Those affected can be informed about the surveillance three years later, if prosecutors allow it. The prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, called the bill a "brave institutional response" to a challenge that goes beyond Greece. Mitsotakis, who brought EYP under his control after taking office in 2019, has apologised to Androulakis, saying the EYP operation was politically unacceptable, despite being legal, and that he was unaware of it. Before the vote, Pasok accused the government of seeking accomplices by asking the opposition to approve the bill. Sign up to First Edition Free daily newsletter Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [98]Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [99]Privacy Policy and [100]Terms of Service apply. "The case is not closed, it is and will remain open until the truth is revealed," a party representative, Michail Katrinis, told parliament. The government announced its plan to ban the sale of spyware last month after the leftist newspaper Documento reported that more than 30 people, including ministers, had been under state surveillance through phone malware. The government has denied any involvement in the case. Topics * [101]Greece * [102]Surveillance * [103]Europe * [104]news * * * * * * [105]Reuse this content More on this story (BUTTON) (BUTTON) More on this story (BUTTON) (BUTTON) * The fixed-price shopping basket: Greece's answer to cost of living crisis 2d ago * Romany leaders appeal for calm after second day of protest violence in Greece 2d ago * Thousands take to streets in Greece in protest over 2008 shooting of teenager 3d ago * Violent protests in Greece after Romany boy shot by police 4d ago * Greek court acquits activists who hung banner at Acropolis in China protest 17 Nov 2022 * Greek workers stage second 24-hour strike this year over cost of living 9 Nov 2022 * Second person found dead after flash flooding in Crete 16 Oct 2022 * One dead and two missing after Greek island of Crete hit by flash flooding 15 Oct 2022 Most viewed Most viewed * [106]World * [107]Europe * [108]US * [109]Americas * [110]Asia * [111]Australia * [112]Middle East * [113]Africa * [114]Inequality * [115]Global development * [116]News * [117]Opinion * [118]Sport * [119]Culture * [120]Lifestyle Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning [121]Sign up for our email * [122]About us * [123]Contact us * [124]Complaints & corrections * [125]SecureDrop * [126]Work for us * [127]Privacy policy * [128]Cookie policy * [129]Terms & conditions * [130]Help * [131]All topics * [132]All writers * [133]Digital newspaper archive * [134]Facebook * [135]YouTube * [136]Instagram * [137]LinkedIn * [138]Twitter * [139]Newsletters * [140]Advertise with us * [141]Guardian Labs * [142]Search jobs [143]Back to top © 2022 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (modern) References Visible links 1. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/09/greece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware#maincontent 2. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/09/greece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware#navigation 3. https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D 4. https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header 5. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=jobs_uk_web_newheader 6. https://www.google.co.uk/advanced_search?q=site:www.theguardian.com 7. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us 8. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk 9. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au 10. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int 11. https://www.theguardian.com/ 12. https://www.theguardian.com/ 13. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree 14. https://www.theguardian.com/sport 15. https://www.theguardian.com/culture 16. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle 17. https://www.theguardian.com/ 18. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news 19. https://www.theguardian.com/world 20. https://www.theguardian.com/environment 21. https://www.theguardian.com/football 22. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics 23. https://www.theguardian.com/business 24. https://www.theguardian.com/technology 25. https://www.theguardian.com/science 26. https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters 27. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/the-fight-to-vote 28. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree 29. https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial 30. https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors 31. https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters 32. https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment 33. https://www.theguardian.com/cartoons/archive 34. https://www.theguardian.com/sport 35. https://www.theguardian.com/football 36. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nfl 37. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis 38. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/mlb 39. https://www.theguardian.com/football/mls 40. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba 41. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nhl 42. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone 43. https://www.theguardian.com/culture 44. https://www.theguardian.com/film 45. https://www.theguardian.com/books 46. https://www.theguardian.com/music 47. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign 48. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio 49. https://www.theguardian.com/stage 50. https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera 51. https://www.theguardian.com/games 52. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle 53. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion 54. https://www.theguardian.com/food 55. https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes 56. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex 57. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden 58. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing 59. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family 60. https://www.theguardian.com/travel 61. https://www.theguardian.com/money 62. https://support.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D 63. https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D 64. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au 65. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au 66. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int 67. https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur 68. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=jobs_us_web_newheader_dropdown 69. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/ 70. https://puzzles.theguardian.com/download 71. https://licensing.theguardian.com/ 72. https://www.theguardian.com/mobile/2014/may/29/the-guardian-for-mobile-and-tablet 73. https://www.theguardian.com/video 74. https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts 75. https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures 76. https://www.theguardian.com/membership 77. https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_US 78. https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords 79. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications 80. https://www.facebook.com/theguardian 81. https://twitter.com/guardian 82. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=jobs_us_web_newheader_dropdown 83. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/ 84. https://puzzles.theguardian.com/download 85. https://licensing.theguardian.com/ 86. https://www.theguardian.com/world 87. https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news 88. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news 89. https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas 90. https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia 91. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news 92. https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast 93. https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa 94. https://www.theguardian.com/inequality 95. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development 96. https://www.theguardian.com/world/greece 97. https://www.theguardian.com/world/greece 98. https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy 99. https://policies.google.com/privacy 100. https://policies.google.com/terms 101. https://www.theguardian.com/world/greece 102. https://www.theguardian.com/world/surveillance 103. https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news 104. https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news 105. https://syndication.theguardian.com/automation/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware&type=article&internalpagecode=world/2022/dec/09/greece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware 106. https://www.theguardian.com/world 107. https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news 108. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news 109. https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas 110. https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia 111. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news 112. https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast 113. https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa 114. https://www.theguardian.com/inequality 115. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development 116. https://www.theguardian.com/ 117. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree 118. https://www.theguardian.com/sport 119. https://www.theguardian.com/culture 120. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle 121. https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed 122. https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us 123. https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact 124. https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections 125. https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop 126. https://workforus.theguardian.com/ 127. https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy 128. https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies 129. https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service 130. https://www.theguardian.com/help 131. https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a 132. https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors 133. https://theguardian.newspapers.com/ 134. https://www.facebook.com/theguardian 135. https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian 136. https://www.instagram.com/guardian 137. https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian 138. https://twitter.com/guardian 139. https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US 140. https://advertising.theguardian.com/us/advertising 141. https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us 142. https://jobs.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=NGW_FOOTER_US_GU_JOBS 143. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/09/greece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware#top Hidden links: 145. https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=180444840287&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb 146. https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Greece+passes+intelligence+bill+banning+the+sale+of+spyware&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_tw 147. mailto:?subject=Greece%20passes%20intelligence%20bill%20banning%20the%20sale%20of%20spyware&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_link 148. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/07/greek-pm-kyriakos-mitsotakis-under-pressure-over-tapping-of-opponents-phone 149. https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=180444840287&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb 150. https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Greece+passes+intelligence+bill+banning+the+sale+of+spyware&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_tw 151. mailto:?subject=Greece%20passes%20intelligence%20bill%20banning%20the%20sale%20of%20spyware&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_link 152. http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?=title=Greece+passes+intelligence+bill+banning+the+sale+of+spyware&mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3F 153. whatsapp://send/?text=Greece+passes+intelligence+bill+banning+the+sale+of+spyware+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_wa 154. fb-messenger://share/?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2022%2Fdec%2F09%2Fgreece-passes-intelligence-bill-banning-the-sale-of-spyware%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_me&app_id=180444840287 155. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/08/the-fixed-price-shopping-basket-greeces-answer-to-cost-of-living-crisis 156. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/08/the-fixed-price-shopping-basket-greeces-answer-to-cost-of-living-crisis#comments 157. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/07/romany-leaders-appeal-calm-second-day-protest-violence-greece 158. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/07/romany-leaders-appeal-calm-second-day-protest-violence-greece#comments 159. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/06/thousands-of-police-on-street-in-athens-amid-protest-over-2008-shooting 160. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/06/thousands-of-police-on-street-in-athens-amid-protest-over-2008-shooting#comments 161. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/05/greek-police-officer-arrested-after-roma-boy-shot-in-the-head 162. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/05/greek-police-officer-arrested-after-roma-boy-shot-in-the-head#comments 163. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/17/greek-court-acquits-activists-banner-acropolis-china-protest-landmark-decision 164. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/17/greek-court-acquits-activists-banner-acropolis-china-protest-landmark-decision#comments 165. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/greek-workers-begin-second-24-hour-strike-this-year-over-cost-of-living 166. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/greek-workers-begin-second-24-hour-strike-this-year-over-cost-of-living#comments 167. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/16/second-person-found-dead-flash-flooding-crete 168. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/16/second-person-found-dead-flash-flooding-crete#comments 169. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/15/one-dead-and-two-missing-after-greek-island-of-crete-hit-by-flash-flooding 170. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/15/one-dead-and-two-missing-after-greek-island-of-crete-hit-by-flash-flooding#comments